Event #5: $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Day 1 | 2025 World Series of Poker

05-29-2025 11:33 UTC-8

Negreanu's 25K Draft Picks Already at Work; Notable Early Birds

Claudio Elizalde

Level 1 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

Daniel Negreanu recently posted that his 25K Fantasy Draft strategy shifted when he was able to draft himself for a mere $108. Despite getting a deal on himself compared to previous years, this still took a toll on his overall budget( $200) and he ended up adding some PLO players to his roster.

He'll be pleased to see that two of the players he drafted, Tyler Brown ($26) and Nick Palma ($1), were both seated at the very start of registration.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kevin Gerhart	50,000 50,000	50,000

Nick Palma	50,000 50,000	50,000
Joao Vieira	50,000 50,000	50,000

Daniel Negreanu	50,000 50,000	50,000

Esther Taylor	50,000 50,000	50,000

James Chen	50,000 50,000	50,000

Tyler Brown	50,000 50,000	50,000

Tags: Tyler Brown Nick Palma Daniel Negreanu

05-29-2025 11:48 UTC-8

Palma Pot-Pots

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Claudio Elizalde

Level 2 : Blinds 200/300, 300 ante

Heads up to a turn reading J♠9♦7♦A♠, Nick Palma announced pot and was instructed to place his bet of 7,200.

"Perfect, you're in charge of keeping track!" he announced to the combination of players and dealer who calculated the pot for him. Steven Forman called on the button.

The river brought the K♥ and after some thought, Palma announced pot again and slid forward a chunk of his highest denomination chips. Forman pushed his hand in the muck as Palma was told the size of the pot bet.

Player	Chips	Progress
Nick Palma	62,300 12,300	12,300
Steven Forman	36,500 36,500	36,500

Tags: Nick Palma Steven Forman

05-29-2025 12:11 UTC-8

Negreanu Four-Bets Forman, Gets Aces Cracked

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Claudio Elizalde

Level 2 : Blinds 200/300, 300 ante

Heads-up to a flop of 2♥5♦6♠, Daniel Negreanu announced his bet as he slid forward 7,000 of his chips. Steven Forman responded with a raise to 22,500.

"I have two rebuys in this?" was Negreanu's response to the raise, before ultimately raising the pot himself, putting Forman at risk.

Forman put the call in and both players were set to see two more cards.

Steven Forman: 8♣7♦5♣4♣ All in
Daniel Negreanu: A♥A♦9♣4♥

Negreanu was quick to pull out his camera and confirmed to his viewers that Forman had three-bet with his hand before Negreanu four-bet from the small blind preflop.

Negreanu's pair of aces were the best hand for the moment but he was up against a pair of fives and a wrap.

The 7♥ on the turn made Forman's eight-high straight and left Negreanu calling for a heart on the river, but the 8♠ was no help to him and awarded Forman the pot.

Negreanu was seen leaving the tournament area shortly after but will most likely be returning to the field shortly.

Player	Chips	Progress
Steven Forman	65,000 28,500	28,500
Daniel Negreanu	Busted

Tags: Daniel Negreanu Steven Forman

05-29-2025 13:33 UTC-8

Top Ten Stacks at the First Break

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Jerome Solomon

Level 4 : Blinds 300/500, 500 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Michael Duek	192,300 192,300	192,300
Mark Aridgides	160,000
Dustin Goldklang	150,000 150,000	150,000
Roger Bailey	145,000 145,000	145,000
Jiyang Gan	130,500 130,500	130,500
Paul Roy	130,000 130,000	130,000
Benjamin Kaupp	127,700 36,700	36,700

Matthew Cosentino	127,000 127,000	127,000
Ervin Brafford	123,500 123,500	123,500
Bryce Yockey	120,000 120,000	120,000

Tags: Benjamin Kaupp bryce Yokey Dustin Goldklang Ervin Brafford Jiyan Gan Mark Aridgides Matthew Cosentino Michael Duek Paul Roy Roger Bailey

05-29-2025 13:39 UTC-8

A Triple-Double of Sorts; Negreanu is Back

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Claudio Elizalde

Level 4 : Blinds 300/500, 500 ante

Josh Arieh was seen betting 1,100 on a board reading 2♣2♠2♦ and taking down a small pot.

Daniel Negreanu returned to the field on his second bullet after getting his aces cracked in Level 2.

The 2023 Player of the Year, Ian Matakis, was also spotted in the field.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ian Matakis	61,500

Josh Arieh	54,500
Daniel Negreanu	50,000

Tags: Daniel Negreanu Ian Matakis Josh Arieh

05-29-2025 14:30 UTC-8

Frank is Back to Starting Stack

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Tim Baker

Level 5 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Ian Matakis opened the button before Christopher Frank three-bet from the small blind. Matakis four-bet to 21,300 and Frank called with around 5,000 behind.

The rest of Frank's chips got into the middle on the 8♦6♦9♦ flop and Matakis called.

Christopher Frank: A♣8♣7♥5♥ All in
Ian Matakis: Q♣J♣J♥10♥

Frank was ahead with a flopped straight and managed to stay ahead on the 4♣ turn and 6♠ river, meaning he doubled up to just over the starting stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ian Matakis	52,000 9,500	9,500

Christopher Frank	51,000 51,000	51,000

Tags: Christopher Frank Ian Matakis

05-29-2025 14:58 UTC-8

Hirshik Snaps Brown with Worse

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Claudio Elizalde

Level 6 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Tyler Brown defended in the blind against an open from Max Hirshik and they saw a flop of K♠10♠2♦. Both players checked.

The turn brought the K♥ and again both players checked.

When the 6♦ peeled off the deck, Brown thought briefly before announcing a wager of 4,200. Hirshik had flicked in a red chip indicating a call before Brown had even pushed chips forward.

Brown tabled K♦J♠9♦3♥ for turned trips and Hirshik threw his hand in the muck.